Coaches

John Seitzinger and Brad Schifko founded the LV Steam Lacrosse Club in 2009 with the goal of providing a top tier program to all age groups of lacrosse players throughout the Lehigh Valley. John and Brad, along with the rest of their coaching staff, are dedicated to the growth of lacrosse and education of today’s youth players. Each member of the Steam coaching staff are accomplished players who grew up in the Valley and have a strong connection and passion to pass on their lacrosse knowledge. Instilling the values of fundamentals, lacrosse IQ, and sportsmanship are the foundations to each team. Meet our coaching staff below, and thank you for supporting the Steam

Coach Lucas VanEmburg

Coach VanEmburg played at Parkland High School where he was a 3 year varsity midfielder. He was a 2 Time Penn Valley Lacrosse League All Star and won both a Bronze and Silver Medal at the Keystone State games when representing the Lehigh Valley. Coach VanEmburg went on to play Division III Lacrosse at Lycoming College in Williamsport Pennsylvania. There he was a 4 year starting midfielder and excelled on the defensive side of the ball finishing 4th in school history for caused turnovers. In his freshman season he finished 2nd in voting for the MAC Conference Rookie of the Year and in both his junior and senior years he was selected as a Division III Academic All American. Coach VanEmburg has coached both the Steam Junior Varsity and Varsity teams where he has had tremendous success which is outlined in our Achievements section. He also is an Assistant Varsity Coach at Parkland High School where he has helped the Trojans to two LVIAC Championships in the 2013 and 2014 season.

Coach Benjamin Walker

Coach Walker also amassed an impressive high school career at Parkland High School as a 2 Time Penn Valley Lacrosse League All-Star, Keystone State Bronze & Silver Medalist, and member of the FCA Pennsylvania State Team. Coach Walker also attended Lycoming College in Williamsport Pennsylvania where he was a 3-Year starter, 2-Year Academic All-American and leading offensive midfielder; generating 64 points Coach Walker was the starting point of the offense with his quick dodges and exceptional vision. While attending Law School at Temple University Coach Walker played Division II club lacrosse and led the Owls to an undefeated 2015 season that culminated in winning the Division II Club National Championship. Coach Walker has coached both the Junior Varsity and Varsity teams.

Coach Kurt Kaunus

Coach Kaunus attended Parkland High School where he excelled in all offensive aspects of his game. In his senior year alone at Parkland Coach Kaunus scored 103 points in 19 games, earning him his second consecutive Team MVP award and 3rdconsecutive LVLL All Star award. Coach Kaunus was also a member of the first Lehigh Valley Keystone Team to ever bring home a Gold Medal. After his illustrious high school career he committed to Division I Lehigh University where he was a crucial part of building the program to their national ranked success. Coach Kaunus saw playing time as a freshman and increased that time until he was a full time starter as a junior. Over his 4 year career he was a Two Time Patriot League Champion, Two Time Second Team All Patriot League player, USILA Scholar All American, and scored 52 goals while dishing out 21 assists. Coach Kaunus has assists with all levels of our Steam youth teams.

Coach Ty Souders

Coach Souders graduated from Emmaus High School where he was a 4 year varsity starter for the Hornets. In his high school career Coach Souders was a PVLL All Star Defenseman, 2 Time ALL LVC player, member of the Philadelphia Under Armour All American Team, 2 Time Team Captain, Team MVP his senior year, East Penn Male Athlete of the Year (2010), and Ranked in the Top 100 recruits in the nation by Inside Lacrosse magazine. Coach Souders committed to Division I Lehigh University where he continued to improve himself and become one of the top defenseman in the country. Coach Souders started all 68 games for the Mountain Hawks since arriving on campus as a freshman in the 2011 season. He scooped up 139 groundballs and caused 56 turnovers earning him 1st Team All Patriot League Honors and 3 Time Division I Academic All American. He was selected 22nd overall in the 2014 Major League Lacrosse Draft to the Denver Outlaws. Coach Souders has worked with the U13 teams and mentored individual Steam defenseman of all ages in their off seasons.

Coach Joe Derkits

Coach Derkits played his high school lacrosse at Allentown Central Catholic where he was a 4 year starter on defense. He also represented the Lehigh Valley 2 years in a row on the Keystone State team. After graduation he joined the Central coaching staff for the next 2 years where he focused on the defensive aspects of the team and coached Central to their first ever League and District Titles. Coach Derkits attended Temple University and played alongside Coach Walker on the Division II club team. He was the defensive leader that helped Temple go undefeated in the 2015 season and win the Division II Club National Championship. Coach Derkits has worked with the U15 team for the Steam.

Coach Mark Winkelspecht

Coach Winkelspecht was a three year varsity starter at midfield for Parkland High School and one of the top recruits in the 2009 graduating class, committing to Division II Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. There in his rookie season he led the Griffins in scoring with 31 points and finished as an Honorable Mention All Conference Player. Coach Winkelspecht improved in his sophomore outing to finish with 43 points helping to obtain the first ever national ranking for the Griffins. After a series of knee injuries his Junior and Senior seasons Coach Winkelspecht led the Griffin Midfield in a 5th year redshirt season to national rankings while scoring 21 points to finish his collegiate career with 95 total. Coach Winkelspect has worked with the U13, U15, and Varsity teams in previous summers.

Coach Tate Klidonas

An Emmaus High School grad Coach Klidonas was one of the major players in building the foundation of success Emmaus has seen over recent years. The LVC League MVP in 2009 and a US High School Lacrosse All American in 2010 Coach Klidonas amassed 157 goals and 59 assists in his career while also dominating at the faceoff X. Committing to Division I Hartford University Coach Klidonas has continued his stellar lacrosse career by making the American East Conference All Rookie Team in 2011 and earning Division I 2nd Team All American in 2012. In 2013 Coach Klidonas was selected for the 1st Team American East Conference as a specialty midfielder and finished the season with 12 points while contributing at the face off X and being the team’s lock down defensive middie. In his 2014 outing Coach Klidonas again led the Hawks on and off the field earning 1st Team American East Honors for the second year in a row and finished with 17 points. Coach Klidonas has worked with the U13 teams for 3 summers and all ages of faceoff specialists.

Coach Thomas Carfagna

Coach Carfagna, a Parkland High School Grad, played close defensive for the Trojans and is known for his remarkable position defense and stick skills. He alongside Coach Winkelspecht committed to Division II Chestnut Hill College and emerged as one of the top Long Stick Midfielders in the country. With 159 groundballs and 86 caused turnovers in his career Coach Carfagna was a 1st Team All-American at the Division II level and statistically in the top 3 most efficient Long Stick Middies in the country (all divisions). He has worked with the U13 teams for the Steam.

Coach DJ Klusaritz

Coach Klusaritz had a stand out senior season for the Parkland Trojans scoring 58 total points from the midfield helping the team to a District Final appearance. After high school Coach Klusaritz went on to play a year at Onondaga Community College where he won a NJCAA National Championship and then transferred to Chestnut Hill to join Coach Winkelspecht and Carfagna. Coach Klusaritz generated 63 career points in his time at Chestnut Hill and was a major contributing factor to the man up offense. Coach Klusaritz has worked with the U13 teams.

Coach Joe Labella

Coach Labella was a 3 year starter and 2 Time PVLL All Star Midfielder for Parkland High School. A two way midfielder Coach Labella committed to Divsion III Marywood University. There he was a 4 year starter at the midfield and scored 53 points helping the Pacers to 3 Conference Championship games in his career. Coach Labella has worked with U11s and now will help with the Varsity Teams. He is also the current Head Coach for the Saucon Valley Boys Lacrosse program where he lead them to back to back District playoff berths in the 2013 and 2014 seasons which had never been done before in school history.

Coach Allen Nist

Coach Nist attended Parkland High School where he was a 3 year varsity starter and dangerous crease attackman. After committing to Division II power house NYIT Coach Nist continued his hard work ethic and became a 4 year starter for the Bears. In his senior season he was named Team Captain and helped lead the Bears to a #7 finish in the nation accumulating 27 goals along the way. Coach Nist has worked with the U11 teams.

Coach Nick Masciantonio

Coach Masciantonio or “Mash” is a Southern Lehigh grad and the first Spartan Alumni to join the Steam coaching staff. In his high school career he was an LVLL All Star and shut down defender for the Spartans. Coach Mash committed to Division I Rutgers University and saw time in 10 out of 15 games as a freshman for the Scarlet Knights including 2 starts. As Rutgers reloads for their 2014 season Coach Mash looks to break into the full time starting line up. Coach Mash has worked with the U11 teams.

Coach Marcus Janda

Coach Janda was a 4 year varsity starter for Parkland High School where he became one of the all time leading scorers and dominant players in the Lehigh Valley reaching over 200 points in his career. He was a Bronze & Silver Medalist at the Keystone games, FCA Pennsylvania State Team member, and played on the Pennsylvania All Star Team that competed and finished 2nd on the National Level. Coach Janda committed to Division I Wagner University where he saw time in his freshman year and finished 7th on the team in scoring. After an injury before his sophomore season Coach Janda transferred to Division III Marywood with Coach Labella. In just two seasons as a Pacer Coach Janda scored 77 points and lead the team in scoring his Junior year earning him All Conference Honors. After graduation in 2012 Coach Janda took a coaching position for Premier Lacrosse out of the Scranton area. He returned in the Fall of 2013 to Coach the Steam Varsity Fall team and is currently the Offensive Coordinator for Parkland High School’s Varsity Lacrosse program where he mentored 3 offensive players selected as 1st Team All LVIAC in 2014.

Coach Cory Andrews

Coach Andrews was a 3 year varsity starter for Parkland High School from 2007 – 2010 where he was a two-way midfielder earning PVLL All Star Midfielder Honors in his senior year. After graduating from Parkland Coach Andrews attended West Chester University where he studied physical education and was a member on the West Chester Club Lacrosse team which is one of the top club teams in the nation. Since graduating from West Chester Coach Andrews has moved back to the Lehigh Valley and worked with the U11 Steam teams for the past 3 summers. During the rest of the year he is the assistant Girl’s Lacrosse coach at Parkland High School where he and the program have seen tremendous success over the last 4 seasons.

Coach Josh Pope

Coach Pope is a recent graduate from Parkland High School where he was a 3 Year Starter for the Trojans and captain his Senior year. Arguably the most dominant midfielder in the history of Parkland Coach Pope was an offensive threat scoring 86 goals and dishing out 33 assists for a total of 119 points in three seasons. On the defensive end of the field Coach Pope was a lock down short stick defender helping his defense only let up an impressive 5.16 goals per game in the 2014 campaign. He was honored with the 2013 Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year award as a Junior and recognized as a LVC 1st Team Midfielder as a Senior. Coach Pope has committed to Chestnut Hill College to compete in the toughest Division II Conference in the nation (The ECC) and study under Coach Brian “Doc” Dougherty. In his freshman season Coach Pope saw time in each their 13 games primarily running on the second midfield line and as a defensive midfielder. He is poised to break into the starting line up for the 2016 season.

Coach Dylan Klusaritz

Coach Dylan may be the younger brother of Coach DJ Klusaritz but he has not fallen under his older brother’s shadow. Coach Dylan rose to the challenge of his brother’s accomplishments and ended up having two of the most prolific scoring seasons in the history of Parkland Lacrosse. A two year starter at attack for the Trojans and Captain his Senior year Coach Dylan finished his career with 124 goals and 54 assists for a combined total of 178 points. Along the way he was selected to the LVC 1st Team Attack in both his Junior and Senior seasons, as well as, winning the 2014 Most Outstanding Offensive Player Award for the Trojans and the 2013 Morning Call Lacrosse Player of the Year Award. Coach Dylan also committed to Chestnut Hill where he earned a starting attack position as a freshman. He led the team in scoring for the 2015 season finishing with 34 points. Coach Dylan has worked with the U11 & JV teams.

Testimonials

Lehigh Valley Steam Lacrosse personnel have taken the experiences of their predecessors; mixed in good business sense with a vision of providing lacrosse related services to all interested parties; and now provide a great product for those people who truly enjoy lacrosse at every level.